


Per Aspera ad Astra

by song_of_fate



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Antagonism is everyone's kink apparently, Attempt at Humor, Crossover, Demons, Drama, F/M, Family, General insanity but not crack, Hate to Love, M/M, Magic, Obliviousness, Romance, Time Travel, brothers being brothers, cuz duh, evil team ups, slow-burn main relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-25
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2017-12-16 02:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/856927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/song_of_fate/pseuds/song_of_fate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Running from the Death Eaters didn't go as planned. Now Harry, Ron and Hermione have to try to find their way back to their time while dealing with dangerous creatures, an evil half-blood, an unexpectedly good one, and one really infuriating demon lord.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And so it is

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters and settings belong to their respective owners. AKA: I own NOTHING. I'm merely borrowing, and they shall be returned safely and intact, I promise. JK Rowling owns all Harry Potter related ANYTHING, as does Rumiko Takahashi anything Inuyasha. NOT MINE!

Harry Potter stood back for a moment, amidst the bustling of other [students](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/1/Intertwined) around him as they hurried to get into the castle. He could hear Hagrid calling the first years to him, and prefects directing their classmates. New students huddled [close](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/1/Intertwined) together, as pure awe of the giant man mixed with their anticipation and fear. All the while, elder years met up with their friends chattering excitedly about their summers and the upcoming [school](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/1/Intertwined) year. The air was thick with laughter and the joy of his [fellow students](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/1/Intertwined), even in these dark times, filled Harry with an inexplicable warmth. Just being together again, in this place where the air was still charged with excitement and wonder and life, seemed to bring back the smallest semblance of _hope_ to everyone here _._ And for just a moment, they could forget all the terrible things that have been happening and just…live.

It was good to be home.

Harry closed his eyes and breathed in the familiar scents around him, letting the noise and chill of the air and the pure magic that surrounded Hogwarts welcome him back. He felt his shoulder's descend with his breathe, like a tiny bit of the normal burdens he carried didn't exist, if just for that moment. It was a nice feeling that lasted only moments before thoughts of Voldemort and his so called 'destiny' re-entered his mind, but it was a minor relief all the same.

A shoulder nudged his own in a familiar gesture and Harry turned to see the grinning face of Ronald Weasley looking back at him and nudged back, happiness flooding his senses once more. Ron was, for all his hot-headed temper, actually one of the most calming presences Harry had ever come into contact with. He'd come to figure it was mainly because Ron never hid anything from anyone. Never tried to lie or hide things from him or anyone else. Unless it was for a good reason, of course. In this age where you could hardly trust even those closest to you, where every interaction was filled with some kind of deceit, he was refreshing. Ron was a whirlwind of emotion and heart and Harry couldn't have picked a better best friend if he tried.

"It's almost surreal isn't it mate?" His friend asked, voice quiet and contemplative in a way it rarely was. "Our last year…Blimey, Harry can you believe it?" Ron shook his head with an almost awe-struck smile as if the idea was almost unfathomable.

Harry nodded, smiling back." I know. It seems like yesterday we were just getting sorted…" Thoughts of the last six years flashed across his mind in a spiral of both horrible and wonderful memories. " And yet at the same time it almost feels like it's been forever."

"An eternity's more like it." Ron returned, his gaze moved to mirror Harry's as they both stared up at the castle. Hogwarts. The majority of the most important moments of their lives had taken place here. Their friendships, first loves, heartbreaks, had all happened right here. It was an amazing thought that this part of their lives…was almost over. "Though I gotta admit, Harry. There were a few times I didn't think we were going to make it."

Harry chuckled and shrugged the shoulder that was pressed against Ron's, purposefully jostling his friend in the process. "That's thought's crossed my mind more than once, I'll have to admit." _There's still a chance we might not._

"Oh my," the tinkling sound of an all too familiar voice flitted between them, amused. "It seems I've missed something."

Harry and Ron grinned widely. "Hermione!" They chorused, rushing up to embrace the witch, who couldn't seem to help but giggle happily at their enthusiasm. "Ooff!" She laughed while trying to wrap her arms around the both of them at the same time. "You're both in quite a mood aren't you boys? What brought this on?"

They had both filled out quite a bit during the summer, Hermione noted. Ron had grown even taller and his shoulder's seemed broader, his stance less gawky and more sure. His hair was just as fiery red as his temper always was and his skin had darkened, lightening his freckles and what on earth was he wearing because he

smelled bloody fantastic and…She was stopping. Right now.

The stray thoughts brought a blush to her cheeks that burned so hard she had to hide her face in the boys shoulders, but she leaned a tiny bit more towards Harry, just to be safe. Harry seemed to have changed as well. He was even taller then Ron now by a few inches at the very least and while he hadn't bulked up as much as Ron had, she could feel the subtle strength in the lean muscle of his frame. She smirked lightly to herself. Not even Harry's body would belie his strength. It seemed to be an unconscious shield against his enemies as they always seemed to underestimate 'scrawny little Potter". Big mistake.

"A mood?" Ron squawked loudly, doing his best to sound offended. "Of course not!"

Harry grinned toothily. "Since when is it a crime to be excited to see our favorite girl?"

Hermione froze slightly at the tones of their voices. That one that never meant well for anyone except the boys themselves. She eyed them suspiciously, "Don't let Mrs. Weasley hear you say that." She said slowly, trying to assess from their grins as to what they were going to try to do.

For once, she was too slow.

Sure enough, Harry and Ron smirked at each other over her head then, in a united move, wrapped their long arms around each others backs with her stuck in the middle as they began to squeeze the life out of her until she squeaked and started flailing, smacking them both on their backs in an attempt to get them to release her.

"Ronald! Harry! Let me go!" She struggled, trying to sound stern, but failing miserably through her smothered laughter. In reality, after everything that had been happening lately, Hermione couldn't help but think that it never felt so good to be squished.

"Well if it isn't our resident menage a trois."

They all jumped apart, glaring fiercely at the intruder who ruined their moment. Harry and Ron moved instinctually to stand side by side in front of Hermione, who huffed and rolled her eyes. Overprotective boys. Honestly.

"Sod off Malfoy!" Ron spat, face glowing with embarrassment and anger. Malfoy smirked back at them, his characteristic smugness rolling off him in waves. He was alone, which Harry found very odd, arms crossed over his chest and eyes flashing with bitter amusement. Really there wasn't anything _obviously_ wrong with him, as he seemed relatively normal. But something just seemed…off about him. Harry just couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"I'd be watching my tongue if I were you. " Malfoy drawled in that infuriatingly arrogant voice of his. Harry glared icily, still studying the other teen but held Ron's arm as his friend tried to approach the Slytherin. "You seem to be in great danger of losing it."

Ron growled, fists clenching. "Is that a threat you overgrown ferret? I should just rip you're fucking head off right now shouldn't I? Rid the world of one less useless little maggot? I would be named a hero!"

Harry winced internally. Ouch. It was gonna be one of those spats. Malfoy, of course, was going to have a retort for that one that sent Ron raging, he'd thought, bracing his hand on Ron's arm again to make sure he didn't jump out to attack Malfoy. The last thing they needed was to get a months worth of detention before they were even properly returned to school.

But instead of snarling back an equally venomous comment like he usually did, like they _expected_ him to, the blonde stiffened, frozen and silent, eyes glazing over as his stance fell only the slightest bit. A wry smirk was the only expression left on Malfoy's face and only because his face didn't seem to know what else to do as he lost himself in a faraway land in his own mind. Harry couldn't help but think it was a rather disturbing sight to see the pompous Malfoy so uncharacteristically mute.

His silence made Ron falter somewhat, brow furrowing in a strange mix between curious and wary. He shot quick glances to Harry and Hermione who both looked slightly horrified and more then a little curious as well. Why wasn't Malfoy saying anything?

"Yes well," Malfoy finally murmured, gaze still glassy. "Wouldn't that be something?" With one last blank lift of his lips, he was gone. Disappearing into the last of the remaining crowd into the school.

The three of them stared at the place he had stood for a few minutes before breathing out three completely different sounding sighs. One puzzled, one frustrated and the other triumphant awe. It made an interesting sound, really.

"That was…odd." Hermione blinked when she managed to recapture her jaw from the temporary residence it had taken up on the floor.

Ron snorted, flailing his arms. "Are you mad? Did you see how he just walked away? Bloody coward, he probably realized that he just wasn't gonna win this time! Good thing he did too, because this year Ronald Weasley is done taking crap from any and all Malfoys!" He crowed, chest puffing proudly out as he started towards the entrance doors. He was obviously pleased with himself and Harry really just didn't have the heart to ruin the mood for him with Malfoy's strange behavior.

Harry shared a look behind his back with Hermione and by her baffled frown, he could tell that the whole exchange was bothering her as well. Harry shrugged his shoulders at her, smiling reassuringly and motioning that they should follow Ron. Whatever was wrong with Malfoy, they weren't going to concern themselves with it right now.

* * *

"Stupid girl!" Jaken screeched at Rin, as he held his staff held out protectively in front of him. "It's going to be _your_ head on a spit when Lord Sesshomaru - BE GONE INGRATES!" The heads on his weapon spat streams of fire at the four panther demons slowly closing in on them but to little effect. They jumped swiftly out of the way, easily dodging his attempts and chuckling lowly at his expense as they stalked closer. Rin whimpered from his side, clutching his kimono tightly, her eyes clenched shut fearfully.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jaken!" She cried, a sob breaking her words. "I just wanted to bring Lord Sesshomaru some flowers!"

"So you run off by yourself?" He growled, swinging his staff again to keep the damn felines back just those few more feet. "And what would Lord Sesshomaru want with a bunch of flowers? Idiot!"

"I'm sorry!" Rin sobbed again and Jaken sighed internally. Damn girl. He almost felt bad for yelling at her. Except for the fact that she was going to get them killed.

One of the panther demons sneered at them hungrily. "I do love it when my food likes to play back." He chuckled again, joined by his brothers as he cracked his knuckles menacingly, "But play time's over little toad, now hand over the human."

Jaken's grip tightened on his staff and gulped nervously. He took a deep breath and managed to glare defiantly at the cat. "She is not mine to give! She is the ward of Lord Sesshomaru and you would do well to turn around and leave us be!" The staff spun with flame once more, surrounding himself and Rin in a ring of fire that managed to catch a couple of the demons in the cross fire, scorching their grabbing claws.

The felines jumped back growling angrily, their fangs extended as they stalked around the ring to look for some kind of opening. Jaken's brow furrowed in confusion at the lack of fear the demons showed at the mention of Lord Sesshomaru as Rin gripped his kimono sleeve again. Who did these low class dolts think they were?

"Jaken what are we going to do?" She yelled over the roar of the fire.

Jaken was beginning to sweat from the fire and the energy it was taking to keep their barrier up around them. "Lord Sesshomaru will come for us." He managed shakily, but without a doubt in his mind. Their master always came for them. He would take care of these insolent whelps if Jaken himself couldn't.

…Hopefully he would get there in time to at least save the girl.

Mentioning their Lord's name seemed to bring back some of Rin's confidence. "R-Right." She nodded quickly, trying to smile at him as she unconsciously mirrored his own thoughts. "He always comes."

A litany of shrieking growls startled them both and Jaken's fire wall shifted lower for a moment. Unfortunately it was just enough for one of the panther demons to jump safely into the ring with them. He smiled darkly, blood dripping from his muzzle from an earlier kill, the fire dancing in patterns across his fur. Jaken yelled loudly trying to keep the barrier between them and the other three while keeping this other one at bay.

"Stay back you mangy beast!" Jaken ground out, one arm tucking Rin behind his small back. "You shall not have her!"

The demon crouched, ready to strike. "We'll see about that little toad!" He growled, launching into the air, his claws poised and ready to tear into them. Jaken panicked, there was nothing more he could do. He tucked himself around the girl as they both screwed their eyes shut. Rin screamed in fear, trying to bury herself in his arms and he held on tight. _Forgive me Lord Sesshomaru, I failed you! I failed Rin! Please please forgive me, I just wasn't strong enough.._

Pained yowls and the morbid, tearing sound of flesh being ripped apart suddenly broke through what the toad demon had been sure were going to be his last thoughts. Jaken slowly opened one eye and had never been more relieved to see the death of other demons.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" He and Rin exclaimed together, matching smiles on their faces.

Sesshomaru was deadly silent. Only the sound of his light whip and the screams of the panther demons proof that he was even really there at all. Jaken watched, awestruck once more at his master's sheer strength and grace as he dispatched all four of the demons with only a few minute flicks of his wrist. It never failed to amaze him just how powerful Lord Sesshomaru was.

Jaken's ring of fire was long since extinguished and as soon as the last demon's corpse hit the ground, Rin broke herself out of his grip and took off at a run towards their master and dropped to the ground at his feet as she bowed.

"Lord Sesshomaru we knew you would come for us!" She smiled up at him with childlike wonder, eyes shining with emotion. Sesshomaru dropped his gaze down to the human girl kneeling at his feet.

"Rin." He said simply, voice without inflection. Still, the girl seemed to realize the unspoken question posed to her. She dipped her head forward, smile sliding off her face as her cheeks heated with shame.

"I'm so sorry! I wanted to get you a present, but there weren't any flowers around so I wandered a little farther from camp than I should of and then those demons found me and Jaken was there because he was trying to bring me back and I -" She stopped herself, sniffling. Obviously pained at the thought of disappointing her master. She bit her lip to keep the sob from escaping her throat and Sesshomaru tilted his head to the left in a minute gesture that one would never catch if they weren't looking intently at him. His cool gaze shifted from Rin to Jaken and the toad demon found himself gulping down the knot in his throat.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru finally addressed him. "I find it disconcerting that you cannot keep control of one human child."

Jaken winced at the reprimand, clasping his hands on his staff sporadically.

"I-I..She was very determined my lord.." Oh Gods, that was not the right thing to say.

Sesshomaru's eyebrow ticked upward slightly and Jaken tried really hard not to hyperventilate. Any type expression from Sesshomaru did not bode well for him.

"Perhaps I should leave you in her care, as you seem incapable of accomplishing the simple task of keeping her out of trouble. "

"N-No my lord. It was all my fault." Rin broke in suddenly and Jaken openly gaped at her in surprise, his natural instinct to scold her for interrupting Sesshomaru stayed by the fact that she was jumping to defend him. She looked up to meet the demon lord's eyes, a brave feet for any being, her face red and tear streaked. " I wouldn't go back like he told me to and when he tried to make me, I ran. And then the demons found us and he did everything he could to protect us until you got here. Please don't punish him Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru studied his ward silently, face impassive as one hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword and Jaken thought for a fleeting moment that he was actually going to hurt the girl. He was shocked when instead, his master swiftly turned on his heel and simply began to walk the other way. Rin blinked at his back for a few moments before smiling at Jaken and taking off after the white clad figure, trailing merrily at his side when she caught up to him. Jaken stumbled a bit before scurrying after the two of them. "W-wait for me!"

Sesshomaru's ear twitched slightly at his servant's plea. He knew the toad would follow him, and even if he didn't, it was of no consequence to him. It would merely be an inconvenience to lose Rin's guardian. The human girl hummed happily as she stayed two paces behind him, pleased that nothing had happened to the toad demon. She always seemed to be remarkably unaffected for a human that was almost constantly attacked by demons. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to shake his head. Such a troublesome child.

A warm breeze brushed passed his face suddenly. Sesshomaru momentarily stiffened, head tilting to the sky at the unfamiliar scent that flew in with it. It was faint, but held an…interesting feel to it.

"M-my lord?" Jaken stammered, staring up at him with wide eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to identify the strange scent, but before he could begin to analyze it, it disappeared.

"No." He answered, starting off again. The scent was gone but the lingering feeling of awareness sliding up his spine left Sesshomaru with the knowledge that something…something strange was coming.

It was none of his concern.


	2. Let's count the stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just to clear some things up my dears, this is going to be ridiculously AU/AR for reasons that will be fairly obvious. It's seventh year and people are alive that shouldn't be and whatnot, Harry's not looking for Horcruxes, etc. I just wanted to make sure everyone was not confused. This isn't going to follow Inuyasha's or Harry Potter's canon. 
> 
> And once more: NOT MINE!

Ron's head hit the table with a dull thump, followed by a loud, pained groan.

"Double potions? _Again?_ Didn't we do this already?" He whined, hands pulling at his red hair. Harry shot him a sympathetic look before scowling slightly to himself. He was not looking forward to going through that again either.

Hermione's brow was furrowed, which mean she was confused and annoyed by it. "And with the Slytherins no less." Ron whimpered again and she patted his head absentmindedly. "I would think the professors would be trying to keep us as far away from them as possible this year." She said, eyes meeting Harry's who shrugged.

"Maybe Dumbledore is still holding out hope that pushing us all in the same space will keep the Slytherins traitorous tendencies to a minimum." He retorted with a snide sneer towards the Slytherin table. "Fat load of good that will do." A week back in Hogwarts and Harry was already sick of them and he could honestly say that he had no idea what the professors were thinking, sticking them in almost all the same [classes](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/2/Intertwined) together. _Again_ , as Ron had said. Shouldn't [graduating](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/2/Intertwined) students get a bloody say in things like this?

And the Slytherins were proving to be particularly unbearable this year, Harry had noticed. They'd wasted no time waiting for everyone to get settled before schooling the younger years in the art of tormenting their [fellow students](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/2/Intertwined). But the sixth and seventh year Slytherins were unnaturally quiet; sending the younger ones off to happily do their dirty work while they watched from the back round, their expressions blank and cold. They had no regard for the punishments the professors were doling out left and right. A few had actually already been expelled. And they all showed absolutely no remorse; acting like they had nothing else to lose.

And well, maybe they didn't.

Harry, Ron and Hermione already had far too many of their own house's first years coming to them crying and pleading for help because their rivals had decided that unprecedented cruelty was their drug of choice this year. The elder students had all decided that they were going to walk with the younger ones around when classes started. Things could only get worse from here and they weren't taking any chances.

Ron had lifted his head from the table and was sullenly chewing on a piece of bacon when he spoke, ignoring Hermione's disapproving glare. "Well he'd better have some kind of plan in mind because I don't think I can take much more of those slimy gits before I do something drastic."

"I'd be right there with you in a second, mate." Seamus cut in from Harry's other side. "Smarmy bastards would just be getting' what's comin' to 'em tha's for sure." He growled, head gesturing back in the direction of the Slytherin table again.

Suddenly energized by their friend jumping right up on his bandwagon, Ron sat up straight with an eager nod. "Too right. And have you seen Malfoy and his lot lately?" He asked. " Sitting up their on their pedestals, pretty as you please, while they let the first years wreak havoc."

"It's a damn injustice is what it is." Seamus agreed. "All of the other younger years are scared witless!

Harry let his gaze drift past Hermione's shoulder across the Great Hall to where Draco Malfoy was sitting, flanked by Zabini and Crabbe. It was almost jarring seeing Blaise wrecking the symmetry of Crabbe and Goyle's hulking frames next to Malfoy that had become a normal sight around Hogwarts. But as Goyle had been killed at the end of last year during a Death Eater attack, of which he had been apart of, it was clear that the 'Malfoy and his apes' routine was never going to be witnessed here again. Harry couldn't really find it in himself to feel bad about that.

The Slytherins had come back with a vengeance this year and they were taking the 'House Rivalries' to an entirely different level. It wasn't Slytherins vs. Gryffindors anymore. They were going after everyone and anyone that even hinted they didn't agree with their viewpoints.

He felt his teeth grind together angrily at the tittering laughter that suddenly erupted from the Slytherins at the expense of a couple of trembling Hufflepuffs that were trying to move as quickly as they could back to their own table. Malfoy and the other elder Slytherins watched impassively. Not encouraging except with small nods when looked to for confirmation, but not actively joining in themselves either.

Malfoy's expression was as cold and inflectionless as it had been the day they arrived at Hogwarts. Harry had yet to see him say anything more than a few words to anyone since then. He always just stared. They all did. Gone were the antagonistic remarks and borderline-dangerous pranks that the Gryffindor's had constantly come to expect from them, only to be replaced with the odd, watchful silence that their rivals were delivering instead.

But it was only the elder ones. The sixth and seventh, and only a choice few of the fifth years. And it was unnerving. After years of preparing for confrontation almost every time they came in contact with someone sporting Slytherin's colors, it was odd to just have them walk right past without even a backwards glance. Harry had no doubt in his mind that something was going to happen, and soon. There wasn't going to be any of this waiting until the end of the year for their grand plan to come to fruition. Whatever it was they were hiding, they had to be ready for it to happen at any moment.

Harry almost jolted out his skin when Malfoy suddenly shifted his head to the side and caught his eye. Harry glared at him almost out of pure habit and was shocked to see the corner of the blond's mouth turn upwards in a smirk, his grey eyes flashing a malicious silver for just a moment before the mask slipped back in place. It was the first hint of the old Malfoy he'd seen in awhile and it didn't fail to rile him.

Nails digging viciously into his palms, Harry had to fight down the all too familiar urge to run over and throttle the git. But in that small gesture Malfoy had given him all the confirmation he had needed, so he resisted the temptation.

 _I'll be waiting, you bastard._ He snarled mentally.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice broke him away and he automatically sent her a reassuring smile in return.

"I'm sorry 'Mione. Was just thinking."

Her eyebrow ticked up slightly in a silent question and he tilted his head to the right in response. Harry had never been quite sure when they had developed this silent language, but especially during the last few years it had definitely come in handy.

"Of course you were." She smiled at him but her eyes were narrowed in a way that said, _we_ _ **are**_ _talking about this later, Harry._ " I was just saying that Ron and I were going to head back to the dormitory, are you finished?"

"Yeah, mate. I want to enjoy the last few days of freedom we have before this madness starts all over again." Ron said, his brow furrowed. He hadn't missed their gestures.

Harry laughed and nodded, pushing his plate forward and going to stand and waving goodbye to Seamus as he replied. "Alright, let's go." They had things to discuss anyway.

He took off swiftly towards the Gryffindor tower, Ron and Hermione at his sides as always. They reached the Fat Lady and Harry muttered the password, " _Salvatoris."_ and she happily swung aside for them to enter. The moment they were all inside and they made sure no one else was around, Harry spun around to face his friends.

"Harry?" Hermione questioned.

"Malfoy's got something planned."

"Aye?" Ron asked. "Doesn't surprise me. But how do you figure? He hasn't said more than two bloody words to anyone since the first day."

"Exactly." Harry confirmed, eyes narrowing in thought. "Not a thing, yeah? Not one sarcastic remark or 'harmless' prank. Nothing about mudbloods or how his father is going to do this or that. Since he 'stopped' talking, so have the other older Slytherins. They don't even glare at us anymore." He tilted his body and leaned his hip against the wall and crossed his arms. "But he just as good as told me something was going to happen."

Hermione looked skeptical again. "What did he do exactly? I didn't see him do a whole lot of anything in the Great Hall."

Ron shrugged. "That's because he wasn't doing much of anything. Doesn't mean his twisted little mind wasn't running a million miles a second." He told her before looking back at Harry. "Was he looking at you weird, Harry? I mean, not that that dead, staring thing he's been doing lately isn't weird but you know what I mean."

Harry smirked ruefully, casting his eyes down and away to look at the roaring fire that was ever present in their tower. "That's just it. It was the look he gave me. I know Malfoy's scheming face anywhere. And he hasn't showed any kind of emotion since we got here."

"Well that's right, isn't it? Are you sure he's not just trying to get to you?" Hermione asked. "Or maybe even a fluke? I'm not trying to say that the Slytherins aren't up to something, but Malfoy knows you too. He knows how to make you suspicious." She fidgeted slightly, as if she was waiting for him to get frustrated. He let his lips curl into a smile that he knew would soothe her before his gaze hardened, determined and lifted slowly to look Hermione and Ron in the eyes again.

"Trust me." Harry said, voice certain. "This wasn't a fluke. This was a challenge."

* * *

They were fighting again. Granted, that wasn't at all unusual in the 'Inuyasha and Kagome' relationship. It was just how they worked. People were more concerned when they weren't snarling at each other every five minutes then when they argued over something stupid. But this time, he had to say, was way different than normal.

Okay so this shit was crazy.

Inuyasha's mind was reeling with the sudden onslaught he was receiving and he couldn't do anything but stare at the obviously psychotic woman in front of him and ask. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Kagome stomped her foot and let out an angry, wordless shout to the sky. "I can't handle this anymore!"

"Can't handle _what_ anymore?" He flailed, confused and irritated already. The girl had been back for all of five minutes and she was already freaking out. They didn't have time for this shit. He pointed at the Bone-Eater's Well, "I don't even know what you're problem is! You're the one that outta that thing screaming like a banshee!"

"Well maybe if you paid any attention to me at all and stopped thinking about the stupid jewel shards for one second, Inuyasha! You don't even ask about how I am! As soon as I get here it's, 'So can you sense any shards?' or 'How far away is the next one?' I'm just a tool to you!"

Inuyasha blanched at her, mouth gaping. He fought back the pang of hurt that the accusation brought on. Did…did she honestly still think that after all this time? _Still?_ How many times did he have to risk his neck for her, and show her parts of himself that he'd never shown anyone before, for her to realize that he _actually fucking cared?_

"Seriously? _Seriously Kagome?_ How fucking long have we been doing this, huh? You're the one that broke the damn thing, it's your responsibility to help find it and that's just the first part!" He growled, crossing his arms across his chest as he glared down at her. "You've had plenty of fucking opportunities to leave and not have to deal with this shit if you didn't want to but _you_ kept coming back because you wanted to help!"

"I know that!" She cried, exasperated. Like it was _his_ fault this fight was happening in the first place. "I know it's my fault. It's not like you _ever let me forget it!"_

"Well since you keep bringing this up it seems like you need a little freaking reminding!"

Their voices trailed across the clearing to where Miroku, Shippou and Kirara were camped out waiting for Inuyasha and Kagome to finish their spat. Sango sighed tiredly as she walked up to them.

"Are they going at it already? Kagome just came back, you'd think he'd leave her alone for a few minutes."

Miroku turned to smile at her over his shoulder. "This may surprise you, but it actually wasn't Inuyasha's fault this time."

"Oh?" Sango's eyes widened skeptically.

Shippou jumped up onto her shoulder. "It's true! Kagome looked really mad when she came out of the Well and as soon as she saw Inuyasha she just starting tearing into him right there!" He chewed the inside of his mouth worriedly. "I wonder what's wrong…"

"It's certainly not like Kagome to pick a fight like that." Miroku said, arms resting across his staff while he watched the spectacle. Even from as far away as he had been, Kagome's bad mood had been obvious from the second she climbed out of the Well. He felt Sango settle next to him and smiled again.

"Well, what's it about this time?" She asked.

Miroku pressed his lips together in thought. "You see, this is where it gets confusing. From what I can tell she's back on the 'you don't think of me as a person' thing."

Sango caught on to their confusion. "….Didn't she get over that a couple years ago?"

"She did." he nodded. "I really don't think this has anything to do with that. I think something else is going on and she just needed an excuse to rile him so she can give herself an opportunity to throw it at him."

"Miroku." Sango chastised lightly. "You can't honestly think she'd be as manipulative as all that?"

" _Fine then! If that's what you want then fucking go back home Kagome! No one's keeping you here!"_

" _Oh sure! Like you won't follow me and drag me back as soon as you decide you need me again!"_

" _No, you know what? Just go. I'm sick of this shit. You've done enough. Go home to your normal life with your normal family and normal friends or whatever the hell it is your so damn excited to get back to!"_

" _Ugh! I can't believe you! Maybe I will go home! I never get treated this way back there! And at least when someone wants me around, they actually tell me so!"_

They flinched in unison and Miroku tilted his head to the side as he pressed his lips together again.

"Maybe not on purpose…" He started but trailed off as the shouting got louder again.

" _Houjo? Who? That scrawny kid that stalks you all the time? What the fuck does any of this have to do with him?"_

Sango's head fell onto his shoulder with a groan. "Oh no…"

Shippou curled nervously around her neck and tried not to whimper. He really didn't like it when Kagome was upset and it was worse when she threatened to go home.

" _ **He**_ _treats me like a decent human being! He's kind and caring and wonderful and worries about me when I'm gone or sick and brings me all of my homework and actually tells me how he feels! He doesn't hide anything from me! Unlike some people!"_

Miroku shot Sango a knowing look, raising his eyebrow at her in a silent 'see what I mean?' gesture. Obviously, this was what Kagome had been trying to get to in the first place. Sango sighed again and shook her head sadly. This wasn't going to end well. It usually didn't.

" _Fuck that! Don't try using me as a damn excuse! If you want to go back home and play house with some human kid then fine. But you are not gonna sit there and make me out to be some horrible person so you don't feel guilty about ditching out on us later!"_

" _Funny, I don't have to do a lot to make you sound horrible -"_

"If I hadn't heard it myself…" Miroku grit his teeth and stood.

The hurt in Inuyasha's voice was easily heard, even from the distance and Miroku decided then that enough was enough. His jaw set angrily as he started toward the feuding pair. He didn't have to look to know Sango was following after telling Shippou to stay with Kirara, she broke off aiming for Kagome herself while he went to Inuyasha.

He barely resisted shooting a venomous glare at the girl when he put a firm hand on the half-demon's shoulder. Never once had Miroku felt anything but affection for Kagome but Inuyasha was his best friend and for her to just decide one day that she was going to callously break his heart and run home made his blood boil uncharacteristically.

"C'mon Inuyasha." He said as calmly as he could with a light push in the opposite direction. Much to his surprise, Inuyasha went without a fight only stopping to send one last disgusted glance back at Kagome before turning towards the touch and stalking past Miroku into the forest. Miroku stopped to make sure Sango was alright, but judging by her angry stance and the firm look she was giving Kagome he was pretty sure she had it handled. He sighed again, gripping his staff. Now to deal with a livid and more than likely hurt Inuyasha.

This was definitely not how he'd expected to spend his night.

* * *


	3. There's a whole new world out there; Let's go

[Sango](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/3/Intertwined) stared hard at the form of her friend who sat leaning against the portal that brought said strange young girl to them in the first place. Kagome was curled up miserably into herself, her shaking shoulders easing Sango's anger bit by bit as concern started to form in its stead.

"Kagome what is going on?" She asked, her voice still laced with some anger.

Kagome's shoulders stopped and Sango watched the girls back rise up and down as she took a few calming breathes. When the girl, for that was what she was, looked up at her Sango couldn't help but sigh. Her friends' eyes were wide and full of shame, the rage from before disappearing almost [instantly](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/3/Intertwined). _At least she knows she did something wrong._ Not that Sango doubted it. Kagome was not a cruel person. It simply wasn't in her nature to hurt someone without a damn good reason.

Sango knelt down so that she was face to face with her, staring hard into those deep chocolate orbs that she had come to know so well. "I know you didn't mean any of that." She said, eyebrows furrowing in confusion and worry. " But Inuyasha doesn't. What in the world could be going on that made you act that way?"

Kagome sniffled, pressing the heel of her hand to her temple. "Sango," She whispered. "I…I just. I…" She stopped and grit her teeth in frustration. Sango waited patiently, marveling at how much of a child her friend looked at the moment. They all often forgot just how young Kagome was. Born in a time where her eighteen years of age was a much different eighteen than what it meant in their world. Though she was a powerful priestess and possessed strength and courage beyond her years, in her mind she was still a kid.

"I missed Souta's [birthday](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/3/Intertwined)." Kagome tried. "Again."

Sango's heart clenched at the thought of, Kagome's little brother. Safe and sound in a different world, unlike her own. _Selfish_ , she thought. _This isn't about you._

"I'm sorry," the hunter sympathized. "But that still doesn't – "

"My friends think that I hate them." She sniffled again. "That I'm avoiding them. Yuki has a boyfriend now, and they're talking about getting married! How could I…" She sighed, head leaning back to rest against the well. "I've known her ever since we were kids. How could I have not known that?"

Understanding dawned on Sango's face. "You've been here. Helping us try to reclaim our land and our families back from Naraku."

Kagome nodded. "And I don't regret it. I love you. All of you. I just wish that I didn't have to hurt my family and friends like this all the time. All of the [birthdays](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6580745/3/Intertwined), the holidays, the special moments that I've missed…" She shook her head with a self-deprecating laugh. "But how selfish am I? Here you all are, fighting for your lives every day, not having the option of hopping down a magic well to a warm bed and no fear, and all I can think about is how much I just wish I could just be a high school kid again."

Sango's hand came to rest on her best friend's shoulder as Kagome continued. "Before I left Hojo came by to give me some home remedies…He's always so sweet. I hate lying to him all the time. No matter what I say or do, he's always just right there with a smile, hoping that I get better."

"Maybe you should go home for a while."

Kagome's head shot up and her eyebrows raised. "But I just got back! Inuyasha would have a fit and we have to continue our search and Naraku…"

Sango stopped her with a small noise, "No. What you have to do is apologize to Inuyasha for taking your frustrations out on him like that and you need to go home for more than two days. Point us in the right direction of a shard and we will go from there for now."

Kagome started to shake her head again and Sango met her eyes with a resolved nod, "Don't argue with me. It is best." Sango stood and offered her hand to her friend who took it after only a moment's hesitation. Kagome took a deep breath to soothe her nerves, eyes quickly searching out the direction the men had gone. Sango never did know if Kagome's priestess powers made her able to sense them all or if her connection to Inuyasha made him visible to her always.

"Thank you Sango." She said. "I don't know if he'll listen to me after my tantrum. But I'm going to find him." She squeezed Sango's hand one last time and took off running in the direction of Inuyasha's aura.

Sango nodded, relieved. But with her eyes trained to the direction her friend started in, Sango hesitated. "Kagome."

The priestess stopped and turned with a puzzled expression as Sango continued. "You were all he had at one point. All he had to protect, to love. I understand your frustrations and fears," her face hardened slightly, "but Inuyasha 's emotions are much stronger than most. We are family and when he feels pain, we do as well. Do not forget again."

Inuyasha had sent Miroku and Shippo back to the Well for Sango as soon as he'd gotten to his tree. He didn't need the monk sending him sympathetic glances left and right even if he appreciated that someone had been on his side for once. The runt hadn't tried to yell at him in Kagome's favor either. In fact he hadn't said anything at all. The little guy could handle fighting demons five times bigger than he was, but a little in house spat was enough to send him into tears.

Well. He couldn't really blame him. It had been worse than normal. In fact it had just been downright strange. Who the hell did she think she was coming out of the well and screaming like hell spawn with all that bullshit? Inuyasha crossed his arms and closed his eyes, a fierce scowl setting onto his face. What more did he have to give her? What more could he? He protected her, laughed with her, fought with her, lov-

He shook his head. It was still hard to admit that even in his mind. But that was the point. He sighed in frustration and tilted his head up to watch the sunlight dance across the leaves. Never, ever would he say it out loud but Kagome's words had…they had hurt him. And he just couldn't understand where he'd gone wrong.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Kagome's voice came lilting through the leaves. Inuyasha visibly flinched. Not only was he apparently talking out loud but he was so deep in thought he didn't even notice her coming. Smooth, idiot.

"Yeah well apparently I did." He muttered, avoiding her big chocolate brown eyes. They were the worst. He couldn't resist them and sometimes, he thought she might know it.

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha. I'm sorry. For everything I said. You didn't deserve any of it and I'm a horrible person for even thinking that I had any right to say those things."

He scoffed and looked down at her finally. Sure enough, her large eyes were morose and still brimming with tears. His ears fell. Goddammit. Why did she get to cry?! He jumped down and landed easily in front of her. "Then why _did_ you say all of that?"

"I was…" She stopped, shaking her head at herself. "Every time I go home all I hear about are the things I've missed. My friends and family have grown and they've all just…changed." She wrapped her arms around herself and looked out onto the fields, her eyes glazing slightly as if she could see them there. "I miss them. And I miss just being a normal girl with normal homework, normal friends. I miss having a normal life."

"So what's stopping you from going back to your 'normal' life?" He growled, hurt stinging him right in the chest. If she wanted to abandon them then fine. She could do whatever the hell she wanted! He was sick of chasing her around anyway…

She turned to him again, surprised out of her day dream. "You, Inuyasha." She said as if this should be obvious. "You all keep me here. Naraku's horrible deeds keep me here. My responsibility to the people of this land is what keeps me here. My ability to _do_ something about that evil man _keeps me here_!"

Inuyasha's internal fuming slowed but didn't disappear. "Well if it's your 'responsibility' why are you freaking out about everything back home Kagome? What do you want me to do? If you want to go home I won't freaking stop you again. We can find the shards without you…" He sighed in angrily and admitted, "For a while."

"Sango says I should go home. For longer than two days..."

"And lemme guess. You want to, right?"

"Well of course I do! It doesn't mean I _should_." Kagome shot back.

He sighed again and looked at her. Her tears were gone now, but the lingering sadness still brightened the colors of her eyes and he felt his heart twist. But apparently that's what giving a shit about other people did. Kagome had ripped him apart with a few words and all because she missed…her family. Inuyasha, he didn't have that luxury. All the 'family' he had was with him on a constant basis, his brother he saw about as often as he liked, which was hardly e _ver._ But Kagome had a mother, a little brother, a grandfather and all her weird little friends back home. Apparently it didn't matter if your friends hurt you only an hour before, as long as you could find a way to make them happy. Inuyasha wasn't sure how much he liked this having friends crap.

Oh, who was he kidding. Fuck.

"Then…maybe, maybe you should. Just for a little bit. Not too long. But.."

She laughed then; a genuine sound that calmed his senses almost instantly. "Oh Inuyasha." Kagome smiled at him almost a little sadly. "I said awful, horrible things to you earlier and when I come to apologize you just try to help _me_ feel better." She bit her lip and moved in to wrap her arms around him tightly. "Please. It's okay to stay angry with me for a while. I deserve it. My problems are nothing compared to everyone else's here. You did _not_ deserve my freak out and I am so, so sorry!"

Inuyasha had moved his arms automatically to fit her too him as he listened to her plea. He could try and he could act like it but he couldn't stay mad at her. He dipped his nose into her hair as he listened to her teary speech. She smelled of spring and warmth. She was always so very warm. Kikyo, even when alive, was always made of ice.

"Keh. Well, I'm just sick of your damn yelling." He tried to sound uncaring, knew he was probably failing. " So just go and be a 'normal'…person." _Cuz that's any fun._ "We'll come get you in two weeks, your time." He pulled back so he could look her in the face. "But woman, if you try that craziness with me again I will gag and tie you to something until you calm the fuck down!"

She laughed again, louder this time and with that gift from her, he felt himself forgive everything.

* * *

"So what are we going to do Harry?"

Harry stared at the note in his hand in disbelief. It had been delivered by Hedwig not twenty minutes ago and he'd been staring at it ever sense. Months had gone by since school had started and the younger students didn't go anywhere anymore but in large groups. The Slytherins were terrifying them at every turn and still they had no idea what the slimy bastards were trying to do.

_P ,_

_I have a surprise for you._

_The moon will guide your way._

_-M_

"Well," Ron started. "Do we go?"

"And if it's a trap, Ronald?" Hermione cut in.

"And what're we supposed to do? Sit here and let Malfoy do whatever horrible deeds he's probably doing in there?"

"We don't know if he's doing anything yet!"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he tuned out their argument. He cast a glance out the window to notice the round, bright moon against the blackened sky. It sat right above the forbidden forest. Why would Malfoy brave the forest at night just to tell Harry something? Or maybe it was a trap and he was merely leading Harry to his death while he watched from a distance? It's entirely possible.

Harry couldn't find it in himself to believe that was what was going on though. Malfoy had another reason for doing this, he was sure of it.

"It might be dangerous." Harry said, stopping their squabbling instantly. "I'll go alone, it's me he wants anyway."

"No way, Harry!" Ron growled. "You're not going anywhere without us!"

Hermione sighed in defeat and crossed her arms, "He's right. If you go, we do as well. Even if I strongly advise against it until we have more to go on."

"He wants me there tonight Hermione. Draco's all about pomp and circumstance so for all we know he could be just luring me in so that he can tell me his evil plan." He tried with a wry grin.

She leveled him with an unimpressed look. "He is not a super villain off the telly, Harry. He's not just going to tell us everything and send us on our merry way!"

He sighed. "'Mione, we've been after them for months and we have no idea what their plan is or why they're tormenting the new students. I've not even seen Draco speak since that first day. This is the only opportunity we've had so far to get any kind of information."

"Or it could just get us killed."

"Hermione what bloody choice've we?" Ron asked as he touched her shoulder. The witch looked at him for a moment then huffed angrily and threw her arms up.

"Fine! We do it your way, but we do it _carefully_ you stubborn mules!" She rummaged around her bag. "And for the record, if we die, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' for all eternity!" She growled, making Harry chuckle. Ron made a huffing noise, head tilted to the side.

"Question. Ah, now…what's a telly?"

* * *

_"_ _Lumos"_

Harry smiled to himself as the small trail they followed lit up just enough for them to see. He didn't need light to know where he was going in this forest anymore. In a strange, twisted sort of way, it had become just another part of home to him. However, with how utterly irritated his lovely friend was at the moment, he wasn't about to say anything.

They followed the twisted paths of the Forbidden Forest, making sure to avoid what he knew would be unwanted vistors. He didn't think Ron could handle any more of Aragog's kin in this life time. The moon glowed bright and heavy and as they continued on it seemed as if the trees themselves parted in reverence for the moon's light. Hermione allowed her spell to fade.

"We've never been this far before Harry," she cautioned, pulling Ron along by the cuff of his robe. He doubted either of them had noticed. "How can we be sure Malfoy himself would dare? He's such a sniveling little –"

There was a loud crack and everyone stopped and turned back to back, three wands pointing out in different directions. Harry narrowed his eyes, searching the inky blackness that resided outside of the moonglow.

"Anything" He whispered, finger's clenched against his wand.

"Not here, mate."

"No."

Harry's jaw clenched but he lowered his hand. "Ron, take the back. We keep moving."

His friends nodded, resolute and they continued onward albeit a tad more paranoid than before. Hermione is right. It could, and probably would, end up being a trap. That was the reason he hadn't wanted them to come with him in the first place. It was one thing for _him_ to run into danger, and a whole other for him to take Ron and Hermione with him.

Normally he wouldn't be this…well, stupid. They would agonize and study and find out just what exactly was going on before running out into the forest at night after his sworn enemy. But something about this situation was different. It felt as though he was being…called. It was a physical effort for him not to run out here the moment he'd read the letter. Not because of Malfoy wanting him to come, though the git was being just plain weird, but because something in him was telling him that he needed to be _here._

Harry finally came to a stop in front of a very small clearing. And an empty one. Not that that was entirely unexpected. But his was the place, there was no other explanation or the ethereal glow that seemed to make the forest itself come to life. Now where was Malfoy?

"Harry, is this it? Where is he?" Ron asked, echoing his thoughts.

"I don't know…" He looked up, eyebrows furrowing. "He said the moon would guide our way. This has to be it."

Ron huffed. "The slimey little bastard was probably taking us for a ride Harry. Hermione said it earlier, no way he would have the courage to come all the way out here alone."

Harry's shoulder's tensed. By all means Ron was probably right. They had gone the whole time without a single prank from Malfoy this year. But honestly? This was too harmless, to needless for someone like him. Not to mention his instincts were running amok and telling him to be on his guard. They weren't ever wrong.

"So sorry to disappoint you Weasel. But I'm afraid you're opinion of me is untrue." A disembodied voice floated through the trees, and something in Harry almost laughed ironically. Trust Malfoy to make an entrance. When he saw that familiar head of blond hair his hand twitched tightly around his wand and he watched. "But given the particular brand of stupid that seems to run through your family, I can't honestly say I'm surprised."

Ron growled, his face already turning red but Hermione stopped any forward movement with a hand on his arm. She watched the Slytherin suspiciously but said nothing.

"Well I'm here Malfoy." Harry broke in. "What is it you want?"

Malfoy sauntered towards them before leaning casually against one of the trees. His arms crossed in typical Malfoy fashion but his eyes were still empty. Dead. As though he were some puppet just playing a part.

And who's to say he wasn't.

"Oh, well. The usual really, Potter." He smirked at them and the blankness of it had Harry's blood running cold. "But I'm afraid you're going to have to clarify."

"Clarify?!" Ron burst. "You're the one that called us out here you arrogant little-"

"No," Malfoy interrupted. "I called for _Potter_. Though it seems he can't go anywhere without the two of you stumbling after him like lost puppies."

Hermione's jaw twitched. "Why are you hurting all of the younger years Malfoy?"

"I'm not hurting them." He tilted his head, feigning confusion. He smiled this time, slow and terrible. What in the world was wrong with him? "I'm merely giving them a little demonstration of how things are going to be from now on."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Harry snarled, stalking in the other wizard's direction. This was getting ridiculous. He wanted answers and Malfoy just seemed content to play these vague games.

Malfoy looked up at the moon. "He's winning you know."

Harry faltered, face darkening. Malfoy's hand slipped into the pocket of his cloak as he continued. "There's no way to get around it. The Dark Lord will have what he wants and there's no way to stop him." Ron and Hermione flinched and pointed their wands as he slowly drew something out of his robes. Harry, now standing in front of him, braced himself for the sudden attack.

"That's why the students are so frightened Potter. Not because of us, no. Because they know that we are _nothing_ compared to what is coming for them."

Malfoy pulled out a small…something wrapped in purple cloth. Harry could feel his friends questioning gazes, as they couldn't see now that he and the Slytherin were face to face. Malfoy held it out to him, the cocky façade one more slipping from his face.

"And that is why I need you to take this, Potter." His words were quiet, meant for Harry's ears only.

"What is it –"

"Harry!"

Harry whipped around at the sound of Hermione's call and saw that she and Ron were pointing their wands into the forest. It was then that he realized, suddenly, that there were footsteps running in their direction. The hairs on his arms stood up straight at the sickly, oily feel of bad magic washed over him. He knew the footfalls weren't worried teachers. He swung back to face Malfoy and pointed his own wand in the blond's face. "A trap!" he growled.

Malfoy frowned. "Of course." He held the clothed object out to Harry once more. "So take this." He hissed. "And _run._ "

Harry, on any other day, in any other situation would have stunned the git and ran like hell. But this time he looked at Malfoy, truly looked, and saw not treachery or smugness, but urgency. Truth. He could vaguely here Ron and Hermione's pleas and curses under the spells they were shooting towards the approaching Dead Eaters.

"You'll be killed Malfoy." And he would, for helping them. Harry had no doubts. For some reason that just…it didn't feel right. The blond smiled again resigned, and it made him want to punch it off his face.

"Oh, Potter. " He slipped the object into Harry's robes as he walked past him to the path they came. "I'm already dead."

"Harry we have to go! NOW!"

Harry shook his head out of his shocked stupor and with the weight of Malfoy's 'gift' in his pocket, grabbed both of his friends by their robes and pushed them out of the clearing. When he glanced back one last time, the Death Eater's were flooding the area and Malfoy had disappeared.

"Harry what the bloody hell was that all about?!" Ron managed to ask.

"Ronald we have so much more important things to worry about at the moment!" Hermione scolded. " _Conjuctivitus!_ "

Ron's face went slightly pale. "Right."

They ran.

Harry lead the way, wanting to make sure he wasn't leading his friends to a dead end. He shot back curse after curse while avoiding the all too familiar green light of the killing curse. Merlin, he'd messed up this time.

"Look!" Ron yelled suddenly.

Harry stopped to see a cluster of fallen trees piled together. The trees in the forbidden forest were huge and splintered in their present state a good cover for them for now. Without a word, the three of them changed directions, each burrowing into a hole in the pile that would fit them. They huddled together silently, watching most of the Death Eaters run past. Harry's hand immediately went to the hard, clothed object in his pocket, however, when he saw Lucius Malfoy himself striding slowly after the others. Unlike his comrades, Lucius' eyes drifted over everything before him. It wasn't long before his gaze was directed to the clutch of dead trees that held them safe.

Ron barely concealed his panicked warning, and merely shot Harry a look that said. 'He sees us!' Harry gripped his wand as the elder Malfoy's face split into a wicked grin and he strode towards their hiding place. Hermione gripped his shoulder tightly, face set in grim determination. They would not die like this.

Something sparked in Harry's mind and by the time Lucius gaze matched his own, he had pulled the object out of his pocket and held it out to the others. It was a small, wooden horse. Nothing extraordinary about it except for the fact that he now knew there _was._ Why else would Malfot give him something so ordinary? So _muggle_?

Realization sparked in Hermione's eyes and she grabbed Ron's hand, nodding for Harry's signal.

"Pathetic Potter. Come out and face your fate." Lucius drawled, eyes flashing dangerously. When none of the trio responded, his smile slipped and the ill confined mania of a murderer made itself known. He raised his wand, the words for their imminent destruction playing on his lips but before he could get the last word out, Harry nodded.

Grasping onto each other, Harry, Ron and Hermione touched the little figurine.

* * *

Sesshomaru stopped moving so suddenly that both Rin and Jaken ran into his legs. The demon lord paid no attention as that strange scent on the wind came over him again. But this time it was not faint. There was something powerful in the air, something not of this place.

And it was in his territory.

His little green imp of a minion stuttered and squeaked. " L-Lord Sesshomaru? Why h-have we stopped may I – eep!" He cut himself off at the slow look his Lord gave him. Sesshomaru didn't say anything as he continued the way he was going. This was not a coincidence and he was going to find out what exactly it was that held this new power.

Jaken and Rin exchanged confused glances but followed obediently. Their Lord had been having these strange moments for the last couple of days. It was as if someone was talking to him and he stopped everything in order to listen. He would scent the air and follow that strange aura he had found. Now an even more eerie calm had washed over the dog-demon and Jaken knew that whatever it was that Lord Sesshomaru had been looking for was close by.

They traveled for most of the day, not stopping until Rin was quite tired from all of the walking. Sesshomaru could feel the power, so very very close now. He might have admitted that he was curious if it had not been nothing more than his desire to add to his already considerable strength. He was feared, and as Lord of his land he would keep it that way.

The demon lord sat under a shaded tree, eyes trained to the river as Rin bathed herself on the other side and Jaken kept guard for her. She hummed happily and the sound of it would have soothed him had he need for such things. He heard her rustling about for her clothes and with a quick flick of his ear to make sure Jaken was doing as he had been commanded, Sesshomaru allowed himself to return to his thoughts.

It was another hour yet when he heard Rin's scream.

"Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!"

By the time the Lord of the West had opened his eyes, his body had already brought him to the girl's side. She was standing next to a strangely silent Jaken, both of their gazes directed on the river bank.

There lay a man. Human, and young, by their standards. He was dressed in attire that Sesshomaru had never seen in any clan or in any human village during his travels. Though as he detested humans by nature, he thought it was possible that he had not seen this man's particular village before. Rin, no longer scared but curious, as was her nature, slowly made her way to kneel at the human's head. If the human decided to wake and do something to the girl it would take but a mere few seconds for Sesshomaru to lay the man's jaw at his feet. Jaken was still silent, blessedly, and he watched Rin gently brushed away hair as black as ink away from the human's forehead. She gasped as she revealed a scare the shape of lightning, covered in blood from the head wound that seemed to be the reason he was unconscious by the river.

She looked up at him pleadingly. "Lord Sesshomaru! He's hurt!"

Sesshomaru could _taste_ it by now. They power, aura he'd been following for days now was swirling around the human like a bright light. He would have it.

"S-silly girl!" Jaken scolded. "Why in the world would Lord Sesshomaru waste precious time a resources on some unworthy _human_ man that obviously –"

"Jaken." Sesshomaru interrupted.

"Y-y-yes my Lord?"

"Help Rin carry him to camp."

Rin smiled brightly at him and without another word, he turned and walked back to where Ah and Un were pacing helplessly frightened by the little ones screams. He placed a hand on the creatures thick hide and it calmed instantly.

The human was a mystery. The scent that had drawn Sesshomaru to this area, belonged to that man. The power he had sensed, in the possession of such a creature. How odd.

 _I will allow Rin this._ He decided. _He will do as I command and I will have whatever it is he possesses, or he will die. I have no need for useless humans._

With that in mind he watched on for any sign of movement as Rin and a reluctant Jaken tend to the human's wounds. By nightfall he had still not woken, but they had put him as near to the fire as they would dare so that he would keep warm in the night. As the others fell asleep one by one, Sesshomaru watched on. He could see the human stirring and muttering and knew he would awaken soon.

He had placed Rin curled in Ah and Un's tail to sleep and sat across the fire, waiting. As the night grew long, the human grew more restless. His body tossed and turned, face scrunching together in terror, anger, and sadness. His aura changed constantly, flickering violently, the power curling around him like a cocoon, expanding with every fevered breath in his lungs. Sesshomaru was slightly perturbed to discover that he had moved without his knowledge to watch the strange cacophony of emotions that washed over the human's face.

A hand snapped out suddenly and grasped his wrist and it was only the sudden stillness of sound that had kept him from ripping the human's hand from his body. A warning growl tumbled up his throat instinctually, and his free hand glowed with his poison when he noticed the human's eyes were now open and trained on him in shock.

And it was the eyes, green as the forests of his homeland that stayed the demon lord's hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to remind those that are worried that while I may not be a fan of Kagome, I know she's important to the Inu gang and that I can't just brush her away. That's why there was a situation. She is not a huge part of this story but she is a part of them. This is not a bash fic. Chapter 4 is already in progress. It will NOT take 2 years! I love you all and thank you so much for waiting for me.
> 
> Kizzy


	4. And when your soul met mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all....
> 
> I know it has been forever. I can't believe people are still here reading this thing but I appreciate you more than you know and I've never forgotten about this story. This pairing started out as a challenge to myself. I want to make it as believable as possible. Only thing is, it's taken completely different hold of me than I had planned. This is gonna be a long one guys. I'm so inspired right now with this. I don't know why. I don't know how I suddenly fell so far back in love with these two fandoms, but I want to finish this. So if you're with me, let's do this. 
> 
> Now, you'll probably realize there isn't much dialogue here. I did that for a reason. I do not speak Japanese, as much as I'd like to. And I wanted to emphasize the language barrier and how NOT IN KANSAS RIGHT NOW Harry is. So to any of my Japanese speaking readers, for the parts I DID add, please let me know if I fucked something up and how to fix it. Because right now all I had was Google translate and we all know how well that works out. 
> 
> Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy!

_ He was so warm. That was what Harry noticed first. It was not a sensation he was familiar with. His cupboard had always been so cold. Isolated. Leaving him frozen; forever feeling as though he would never escape the darkness. Often he thought he would die there. Hidden away from the world. In clothes too big for him. Fading, ruined. Like he was. Like he must have been. Why else would they have treated him as they did?  _

 

_ Every muscle in Harry’s body was on fire, sore. Of course, from curling as he had to underneath the meager blankets he was allowed. But he musn’t make a sound. No. He couldn’t show weakness. Not to them. Never to them. It always made it worse..  _

 

_ Harry’s mind reeled back suddenly to another warmth. The warmth of the Weasley house. The sounds of family, something that he had never been a part of before then. Laughter and happiness, this was how it was supposed to be. The twins, raucous and loud, tormenting their poor sister who could never help but laugh despite herself. The love was so obvious. Ron, steadfast as always by his side, smiling proudly and, oh, how Harry  _ **_envied_ ** _.. _

 

_ The shattering of glass tore him away from the warmth once more. Darkness. The smell of singed flesh and death. The ghost of his godfather staring blankly, lifeless, as he fell through the mirror. Arms reaching for something he could no longer see. The scream tearing through his his very soul until his throat bled and the sounds would no longer come.. _

 

_ A voiceless shriek into the void; the world spinning again and again until nothing but blackness surrounded him. Finally alone, he sobbed. Why, why was he here? This place he had worked so hard to escape from? The good always replaced with the bad. The warmth always stolen away.  _ **_Why!_ **

 

_ He almost didn’t feel it when something brushed against his senses. All at once he was overcome with the scent of forest. The musk of something heady, and wild. A sound broke through his isolation. Or not...a sound. It wrapped around him again, seeping right into his weary bones and suddenly he felt as though he could stand again. Light shot into Harry’s vision. A call. Something...something was here. A magic?  _

 

_ Without realizing, Harry reached out to it with his own. Felt it wrap around him like a human embrace and when the tears returned this time, they were of joy. He needed to go. He needed to find it. His feet moved before his mind could tell them too, chasing the light as it faded back. But that wouldn’t happen. He couldn’t let it go, he  _ **_couldn’t._ ** _ Harry reached out his hand... _

 

Air came rushing into his lungs like he hadn’t breathed in hours. Harry coughed, dazed. Green and gold swirling into his vision in a giant blur. His head spun violently so he closed his eyes against the colors, trying to take stock of himself. Realizing, then, that he was grasping something that most certainly wasn’t his wand. 

 

Eyes snapping open so quickly, Harry could have sworn he had heard the action. He still had his glasses, miraculously. And cracked as they were, it didn’t stop him from realizing what it was that had caused the flash of gold amongst the trees. 

 

His breath left him just as quickly as it came when he understood that the colors weren’t light, they were  _ eyes _ . Bright; swirling orbs of melted sunlight framed by long sheets of  that looked like pure white silk. A crescent shaped moon stood dark against the person’s forehead; slashes of the a slightly lighter color coming up to rest on both cheeks like claw marks. Harry would have thought this the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but there was a distinctly male set to the jaw, and the hollow of his throat. Achingly perfect, not a single flaw could be seen anywhere. Yet the very aura of this person proved masculine all the same. 

 

Harry realized then that he was staring, but he couldn’t look away. It was only when something distinctly flesh feeling twitched under his fingers that he realized he was  _ holding this man’s wrist in a death grip  _ **_you bloody idiot_ ** _! _

 

Dropping the appendage as though it were poisonous, Harry let out a very un-manly yelp and jumped back as far as he possibly could. Unfortunately, that wasn’t very far, due the the excruciating pain that wracked across his body at the motion. Harry gripped himself around the ribs, knowing then that they were bruised severely if not broken entirely. 

 

The man was still staring at him intently, not having moved from his position. His eyes were narrowed, face expressionless as though Harry were nothing more than an annoyance. An annoyance that needed to be studied, at any rate. 

 

But beautiful or not, he didn’t appreciate the look. 

 

“W-who are you?” He wheezed, arms reaching within his robes, praying his wand had made it with him as well. Voldemort had been recruiting creatures of all kinds in the last year and now that his brain was catching up with him, Harry realized that this could be one of them. His outfit was so...strange. What in the world was the large fluffy thing? He couldn’ even begin to know what that odd loop of armor would have been for, it surely didn’t seem practical at any rate.  Harry would have pegged him for a Veela, a vampire even, but he had seen those creatures before and for both species, there was an instant allure. 

 

They used their beguiling looks and powers to call their prey to them willingly. And while the man in front of him was indeed pretty, Harry didn’t feel the overwhelming need to do his bidding. 

 

Well that certainly made things slightly easier.

 

“Where am I?” He asked, stronger this time, as he regained himself. When his hand brushed across the smooth lines of his unbroken wand, Harry thanked every God he could think of that if this was some sort of Death Eater pawn, he knew he would have a better chance. The man, creature, stood. Somehow, the simple action conveying a fluidity and authority that Harry had never witnessed in his entire life. Whoever this person was; he was important, and he knew it.

 

Still with that blank look, the creature(man ? thing?) spoke. Low, growling tones, in a language that Harry couldn’t have understood if he tried. He wished Hermione was here. She would have known how to figure out what language it was. Hell, she probably would have had a spell of understanding. She has a spell for everything. 

 

His heart clenched at the thought. Hermione. Ron. He didn’t see them anywhere. What had happened? Were they safe? How did they get separated? He needed to find them. Now. 

 

As Harry made to stand, the man spoke once more and for all that he sounded long-suffering, Harry wasn’t even sure if he had heard such a thing before. The words were clipped, yet Harry heard every syllable drag across the man’s throat. A low, growling command that for some reason had heat creeping up the back of his neck. 

 

“I’m sorry, “ Harry started, trying to convey with his tone, if anything, that he wasn’t a threat if he didn’t have to be. “I don’t understand what you’re saying…” 

 

The stare he received was even worse than the one he had been given before. Harry wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light or not but he could have sworn he saw the hint of fangs peak out behind the creature’s lips threateningly. Oh, that would not be good at all. Maybe he had been wrong about the vampire thing -

 

A wicked, and quite frankly, terrifying screech suddenly erupted from the darkness and Harry was on his feet, wand out, and pointed toward the source before he could even comprehend the pain it caused. 

 

Curdling sounds and odd shrieks wrapped in brown robes came rushing towards him carrying a staff twice it’s size and Harry backed up a couple more steps because what the  _ hell  _ was that?!

It was the size of a house elf. But green all over, wearing considerably nicer clothing than Harry had ever seen on even a freed house elf. It ran in front of the ethereal looking man, bouncing on his strange webbed feet, which, really, he kind of looked like a giant talking frog. At least, Harry thought all the random garbling sounds had to be some kind of bastardized version of the language the other man had been speaking earlier. It waved its giant staff at Harry, the heads on the top cackling at him mockingly and Harry was really completely done with what was happening here, if he had to be honest. 

 

“Alright, what the bloody HELL is that?! Who are you?! Where am I?!” He pointed his wand at the screeching toad thing, preparing himself for whatever it was going to do. The other man had stood impassively the entire time. Either completely used to this scenario or just absolutely uncaring, Harry wasn’t entirely sure and frankly, right now he didn’t care. 

 

The tiny creature screamed at him again, the laughing heads of his staff suddenly opening their mouths, energy coursing around them in preparation for attack. Harry had enough experience with this kind of thing to know this would not end well. 

 

Enough of this, he thought. He did not have time for this strange man and his pet. He needed to find his friends. 

 

“ _ Expelliarmas _ !” He growled, the staff of heads flying from the creature’s grasp finally made it go silent. It’s beaked mouth hanging open was the last thing Harry caught before he turned on his heel and ran.  

 

Harry didn’t stop running until he could no longer hear the shrieks of the tiny toad or see the light from their fire. The forest was dark, the smells nothing like he had been subjected to before. Realizing that he wasn’t being followed, Harry allowed his wand to light up with the lumos spell as he weaved in and out of the strange looking landscape. He didn’t care where he was going right now, he just needed to get away from insane frog things and their silent masters. Harry’s ribs were on fire, his breath coming in gasps. He needed to heal that, and soon, or he was going to cause more damage and be unable to help anyone. 

 

The sound of a river to the left of him had him changing directions. Where there were rivers, towns usually followed. He had to be able to find someone. Anyone. 

  
  


Finally, the pain was too much and Harry had to make himself stop. Thankfully, he was close enough to hear the rushing of the water. With a sigh, he finally slumped down by a nearby tree. As his adrenaline waned, the pain became more and more intense. With a few deep breathes he raised his wand to his ribs. He was no Madam Pomfrey, but he knew enough to get him through until he found Ron and Hermione.

 

_ If you find them.  _ His traitorous mind supplied. Grunting at the odd sensation that indicated that his bones were at least fusing back together, Harry sat as still as he possibly could as the magic did it’s work. His head hit the tree trunk with a dull thunk and for a moment he just breathed. 

 

He needed a plan. He needed to find out where he was, because, obviously, he wasn’t in Britain anymore. Ron and Hermione couldn’t have been far. Portkeys usually kept travelers relatively close together, so why were they nowhere to be found? It wouldn’t have surprised him if this was Malfoy’s doing. Giving them a bum portkey to get them as far away from Hogwarts as humanly possible so that they couldn’t interfere with Voldemort’s plans. That slimy fucking  _ git -  _

 

But no, he remembered, the Death Eaters had been looking for them with clear orders to kill. They wanted them dead, not just thrown somewhere else where they could eventually regroup and return. It would have been such a temporary solution. All of the magickal communities in the world were interconnected, and therefore, easy to travel between. It wouldn’t have made sense for Voldemort to have merely wanted them out of his sight. Not when he was so close to being rid of them. 

 

But then what had Malfoy been up to? Why would he send them here? Was he...was he really trying to help them escape? It was a thought Harry couldn’t really fathom, considering everything they had been through with Malfoy and his family over the years. But Malfoy had seemed so lifeless, so resigned to his fate. As if all the fight had left him completely. 

 

His heart had always had a mind of it’s own, and Harry couldn’t even bring himself to be annoyed at the wave of sadness that washed over him at the thought of Malfoy just..giving up. They had all just assumed that Draco wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Death Eater. He boasted this himself many times before. But something had obviously happened over the summer that made the younger Malfoy lose all sense of himself completely. 

 

It was like he was a ghost. There was no more fire to him. Once, Harry would have probably said that it was less than he deserved. 

 

But did anyone really deserve that? 

 

A small sniffling cry broke Harry from his reverie once more. That seemed to happen a lot here; he should probably stop drifting off into space when he was in the middle of nowhere and most likely surrounded by dangerous creatures. 

 

Harry slowly stood, testing the fragility of his wounds. His ribs were still obnoxiously sore, but the fiery burn was gone and he could breathe again.  _ There’s a start.  _

 

Whimpering came from the general direction of the river, then. It sounded small and child-like. But what would a child be doing out here? 

 

_ Be careful you idiot!  _ He berated himself as he slowly edged towards the tiny cries.  _ It could very well not be human. You’ve seen enough of that tonight! _

 

Wand at the ready, Harry quietly cleared the tree line down to the river. Squinting into the darkness, he tried to get a look at the origin of the sound before alerting whatever it was to his presence. He saw a small figure curled into itself, noticing the harsh sobs that wracked it’s body the closer he got. It still sounded like a child, he mused, defenses dropping ever so slightly. Maybe...it actually was? 

 

Still keeping a noticeable distance, Harry called into the night. “Hello?” 

 

The sobs turned into a gasp as Harry saw the figure jump in surprise. A watery noise in that same strange language answered Harry’s call. Though he couldn’t understand, Harry knew fear when he heard it. Fear, and a bit of hope, maybe. Were they lost? Harry whispered the lumos spell, showing once and for all that it was indeed a small boy. He was filthy, clothing torn, cuts along his arms and legs. His hair was as black as his was and despite all of the grime, Harry could tell he was indeed very young. Couldn’t be older than eight. He looked like he’d either been running through rose bushes or he had been attacked. Harry wouldn’t bet against it being the latter from what he had seen himself already. 

 

The child flew back at the sudden light, shaking harder than he was before as large tears came streaming down his dirty cheeks. His arms lept up to cover his head as Harry advanced, probably thinking he was going to hurt him. The sight tugged at Harry, an all too familiar visual. It was as though he was looking at himself all those years ago..

 

Kneeling next to the shaking boy, Harry gently tried to coax his arms away from his face as best he could. He knew that he probably could no more understand him than Harry could, but he tried to keep his tone soothing and calm. 

 

“Shh, hey, it’s alright. Please don’t cry.” Harry tried to peek around the arms holding the little head hostage, smiling as genuinely as he could. “I won’t hurt you, I promise. I want to help you.” 

 

Slowly, the little arms came down and Harry was looking into dark, red rimmed eyes. The child stuttered another wary sentence that escaped Harry completely but he continued responding in his own soothing tones. The small child seemed to unwind, slowly, the more Harry talked. His smile turned soft as he pointed at the flurry of cuts across the little one’s arms and legs, asking without words if he could take a closer look, but annoyed that that was all he really could do. 

 

The boy sniffled once more, seeming to understand and stretched out a shaking hand. Harry took it gingerly, examining the cuts and how deep they really were. Again, he was no healer, but he’d been in plenty scenarios where he’d gotten considerably banged up and eventually he realized that he needed to know the basics at the very least. And these, he could help. 

 

Placing his wand down in the slowest, most non-threatening way he could manage, he guided the boy’s arm towards the light. Again, he mentally thanked ‘Mione for  forcing him to practice his wandless magic. The poor guy already looked frightened enough just from the light coming from his wand, let alone if Harry actually pointed the thing at him and tried to use it. 

 

Hovering his hand over the worst of the cuts, Harry continued to soothe the boy with small whispers before closing his eyes and reaching into his core for the magic he knew would be there. It was harder, as always, to redirect it like this. But somehow purer all the same, as it came directly from the source and wasn’t tamed by the power of his wand.  Such power could cause either small accidents, or, more likely, terrible ones if used incorrectly. He had been told in his training with McGonagall that his should be particularly hard to master as it was so wild and his potential still so untapped, but somehow, wandless magic came pretty naturally to him. 

 

At least this ‘chosen one’ crockery was good for something if he could help someone in need instead of just walk around with a target on his back. 

 

Harry breathed, eyelids fluttering as he concentrated. He wrangled the warring deep green of his core magic until he felt it come naturally through his hands, spreading over the boy’s cuts. The skin started to knit together, the blood clearing. Harry grunted as he felt his magic try to pull back, suddenly, and grit his teeth in an attempt to keep it where it was until the boy was completely healed. 

  
  
  
  


When Harry opened his eyes, the little boy was looking at him with awe and curiosity. Probably Muggle then, he mused. By now most little wizards would have expected the ease of a healing. The boy gasped and flexed his now healed fingers as a smile grew on his features. 

 

“Arigatou!” He cried, a large smile breaking across his features. Harry could only assume that this was some kind of thank you and he smiled back, nodding.   He was startled when the child jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck in a tight hug. Harry blinked slowly in shock but returned the hug anyway. The boy chattered excitedly in his ear all the while, suddenly full of energy and Harry just patted his back and smiled indulgently. 

 

“Alright then,” Harry chuckled finally, pushing the boy back slightly to look at him. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. Do you live nearby?” The little head tilted slightly, smile still intact and he obviously had no clue what Harry was nattering on about. Harry pointed towards the direction the river was flowing and asked, “Home?” He was trying his best to be patient with himself. This language barrier was terrible. He really, really wished he’d paid more attention to Hermione when she developed a rather sudden though not entirely unexpected fascination with languages and dialects.

 

Taking Harry’s hand, the boy pointed towards the river and nodded still smiling.  _ Perfect.  _ Harry thought,  _ Maybe he’ll be able to take me to someone who can understand me. Or even better, Ron and Hermione could be there.  _

 

Standing, Harry reached his hand out to the little boy. The child sat back on his haunches, still smiling at him and Harry started to waver when he took his hand but did not move to stand. He just sat there, staring and smiling. A strange chill ran up Harry’s spine when the smile suddenly grew wide and toothy, the child’s eyes seemed to strain against their sockets, whirling in all directions frantically.

 

Was there...something wrong with him? “Er...Are...are you alright?” 

 

The child’s head made a vicious  _ crack _ noise as his head whipped back and forth manically like a puppet head on strings before his gaze returned to Harry once more. 

 

And he was still bloody  _ smiling _ .

 

“Sore wa…” The voice coming from the child now was nothing like the one Harry had been conversing with earlier and Harry gripped his wand as he cut himself off and started to giggle; little shoulders shaking in mirth. Harry sure as hell could not see what was suddenly so funny. 

 

“ Zannen desuneeeeee.” the boy cackled again. He snatched Harry’s hand before he could retreat any further. Gasping at the sudden strength in the small hand that held him, Harry tried to pull back but found the grip to be too strong. That bad feeling he was starting to get had obviously come in full force now and Harry realized quite quickly that he’d been had. 

 

“What the hell?!” 

 

That unblinking smile was what he got in return before he was wrenched forward, the gaping mouth clamping around the meat of his hand hard enough to draw blood. 

 

Harry snarled, wandlessly blasting the boy back to get out of his reach. He would have felt bad if, for one, he wasn’t bleeding, and two, if he wasn’t continuing to giggle with said blood running down his face. 

 

“ Zannen desuneee.” He,  _ it _ , cackled, as it returned to it’s feet. It repeated the phrase again and again leaving Harry to watch in horror as the childlike features warped before his eyes. A wet tearing sound accompanied every twist of the creature’s flesh; it’s mouth stretched from ear to ear, teeth growing out in large, jagged points still covered in Harry’s blood. The eyes popped from its head, moving on their own in manic red swirls of hanging tissue, leaving the skin of the face hanging like a macabre mask. Claws grew thick and bright from it’s fingers and it flexed them happily as the rest of the human visage fell away in a literal pile of bones and meat. 

 

 _Oh my god._ Harry could smell the stinking of dead flesh rising to his nostrils and he fought the urge to gag. This, this thing was using that boy’s skin as a **_disguise_**! And how did he not notice that _smell_ before?!

 

Mind reeling, Harry took another step back and willed his hands to stop shaking. He hadn’t healed a child, he’d helped some walking nightmare regain it’s strength. His wand was pointed towards the beast, but he couldn’t seem to get his thoughts to stop spiraling with what he’d just seen. This monster, this monster murdered that little boy so it could use his body to lure more victims. Of all the horrid things Harry had seen in his life, this...this was abominable. 

 

Quite as suddenly as it had come, his fear had been replaced with rage. This place was  _ evil _ . An innocent child had been slaughtered and used for dress up by some abhorrent creature that continued laughing as it threw the corpse aside. Harry felt his magic rising to the call of his anger as it always had, aching to be set free and show this sick bastard what pain felt like. 

  
  


_ NO!  _ He stamped down the urge, and refocused himself. Obviously the boy had come from somewhere, who knew how close or far from here that was. If Harry just started blasting everything in sight, he could end up hurting someone else. And that was just not going to happen. 

 

_ “Sectumsempra!” _ He growled, catching the demon off guard and sending it flying back with the force of his spell. The gashes it had been covered in before now returning threefold.  It’s blood was black, the color of tar. It oozed out of it in thick rivulets and for the first time since it’s reveal, the creature had lost it’s grin. 

 

It jumped back to it’s feet, snarling. It lifted his head to the brightness of the moon and shrieked into the night. The sound turned Harry’s blood cold. That wasn’t a cry of pain, that was a call for help. 

 

No sooner had the thought crossed Harry’s mind, did the shadows around them start to flicker and move. From the treeline came shambling more creatures; borrowed flesh rotting off their true forms. All of the same make, jagged teeth and gaping smiles. And the  _ laughter _ . Harry would never forget the sound for as long as he lived. 

 

They were trying to intimidate him, he knew. Harry, however, met their laughter with a snarl of his own. He didn’t wait for them to come to him; he placed his back to the swirling river and attacked. 

 

They were fast, Harry gasped as he dodged an oncoming assault. Faster than they had any right to be in stolen skin. A blasting curse sent two of them back at once, but where one left, two more followed. The warped faces of those that used to be staring back at him as Harry rolled and kicked out. He barely had a moment to cast a shielding charm before one of them stretched it’s arm out an in unnatural way to go for his throat. 

 

Merlin, how he wished he could  _ accio  _ his Firebolt. 

 

The hairs on the back of Harry’s neck stood up and that scent of dead flesh reached him from behind. Harry saw the wicked grin and the stinking fangs, claws reaching for him with what he was sure was all intent to take him apart like they had done to all these other poor  _ people.  _

 

Time slowed for him then, the demon was already so close, he couldn’t react; he was still too slow from his injuries. He was outnumbered, and couldn’t find a way out..

 

When the laughter turned to screams, Harry barely registered what was happening. 

Flashes of white and gold light flit around the entire clearing. Each appearance bringing with it the utter destruction of one of the creatures as though by some invisible force. Heads and limbs flew rapidly in a macabre dance, coloring the grass with blackened blood until the bodies started to smoke and fall away. It was all happening as fast as Harry could blink. 

 

_ What in the world could possibly be doing that?! _

 

The destruction of its brethren had caused the creature that had cornered Harry to falter, and he wasn’t about to deny himself the advantage. Harry whipped around, drawing back to land a good ol’ muggle style punch to it’s face. He regretted it slightly when his hand came back covered in  decay, but it felt good to get a solid hit in regardless. The creature swiped at him desperately once it realized that it no longer had the element of surprise, it’s claws ripping into the tender flesh of his neck. The attack was clumsy, however, and Harry’s wand was pointed directly into it’s dripping visage before it could do more. It’s last scream was cut short when Harry blew it’s fucking head off. 

 

Breathing heavily, Harry turned his back to what was left of the battle;  shocked to find the strange man from earlier standing silently in the middle of the massacre. In any other circumstance, he would have been embarrassed at how obnoxious his jaw must have looked on the ground, but he couldn’t help himself. Impossible. There was no way he was human. No one could have come and taken all of these monsters out like they were nothing more than garden ants and come out pristine on the other side. At least no human that he knew of. 

 

“What in the world  _ are  _ you?” Harry whispered, more to himself than anything. 

 

The golden gaze snapped up to meet his abruptly and Harry felt his breath catch again. The strange man from earlier...But why did he bother to interfere? He barely even seemed to notice Harry had been there before. So why go through the trouble? 

 

Harry had been too frazzled to get a good look at him earlier. But seeing him now in his full glory, he was starting to realize just how far from home he must be. The clothing was nothing like Harry had ever seen before. Airy silk mixed with rigid armor, a strange combination indeed, but it somehow suited the stranger’s cold and calculated demeanor. His hair was white, fresh snow white, not silver, and absolutely perfect despite being in a battle not moments before. There wasn’t a scratch on him at all, in fact. He seemed to be made of porcelain. 

 

“ Watashi wa Sesshoumaru.” the man’s voice cut clear across the distance between him. Harry couldn’t help but again marvel at the commanding tone; the forest itself seemed to silence in response. 

Harry had never been particularly good at keeping quiet. 

 

“Listen, “ he started. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. You don’t understand what I’m saying. Thank you, for this, but I’ve not much time and I really -”

 

Harry hadn’t breathed before the man had disappeared and reappeared right in his space. Startled, and honestly, so completely sick of all of these surprises, Harry had his wand at the ready. The man narrowed his golden eyes at Harry, who tilted his jaw defiantly and returned the look. If Harry hadn’t known better, he’d swear he actually saw a flash of amusement in those bottomless orbs. He really couldn’t decide if they were stunning or creepy, the way they seemed to look right through him. A bit of both, probably, considering the circumstances. 

 

The creature took another step closer, by far invading Harry’s personal bubble much more than he would like. Harry stepped back, but the taller figure at up the distance between them until he found himself trapped between a tree and the, admittedly, sort of imposing figure in front of him. Brows coming together in confusion, Harry held up his other hand to deter any further movement. He didn’t understand what was happening. He obviously didn’t want Harry dead or he would have taken care of that long ago now. 

 

“Alright, mate, that’s close enough.” He grunted, annoyed at the blank look he received in return. This was getting so irritating. “I realize at this rate I could be talking to myself for all the bloody good it’s doing but  - “ 

 

“ Damarinasai, ningen.” The other man cut him off, eyes boring into Harry’s. “Anata wa mada yakunitatte iru kamo shiremasen..” 

 

Long, clawed fingers lifted Harry’s chin in a firm grip. Harry struggled, trying to pull away, put again he was no match for the sheer strength. The guy could have probably ripped his jaw from his face without blinking if he wanted to, but that didn’t mean Harry was going to let himself be man-handled. Another arm came up, harshly forcing his shoulders back against the tree and effectively ending his efforts. Harry growled in frustration, his magic tingling down his arms and through his fingertips, waiting for the opportunity. 

 

That golden gaze came closer, slowly, and Harry’s thoughts took another panicked turn as he realized that he could feel the other man’s breath on his face. The stranger’s own brow was narrowed again, as if annoyed with the entire situation despite that it was of his own doing. Still, when violence and death didn’t come, Harry could do nothing more but...look. 

 

“Kitte.” The man’s voice rumbled, a quiet growl. Harry could only watch as those golden eyes bled red. “Hanasu.” 

 

_ This is it, _ Harry thought. The scars and symbol on the man’s face illuminated with his eyes, fangs growing longer and sharper, seeming to ache with the force it took not to rip into Harry. This was when he was finally going to die, and not even at Voldemort’s hands.  _ How bloody ironic.  _

 

Without further preamble, the final distance was closed and when the glowing crescent on the man’s forehead met Harry’s, the world stopped spinning in an instant. 

 

The forest, the blood, even the man in front of him fell away to nothing but gold and green. Harry flew weightless through the swirl of color, not breathing, not  _ needing to.  _ He heard the voices of thousands, no, millions. Laughing, crying, screaming, crashing together over flashes of images that didn’t make sense to Harry at all. A beautiful woman with hair the color of frost holding her tiny child. A giant dog demon, spitting flames. Blood and light, sadness, and an anger so visceral that it tore through Harry like a spear to the chest.  There was no rhyme or reason, no physicality to any of it. He was being taken under water, yet flying through the clouds. When he no longer thought he could go on, a presence both strange and familiar, wrapped around him like a shield and guided him back. 

 

Soon, he was falling, falling...Back to earth, back to himself. His vision blurring through the wetness that had suddenly come to his eyes. He lifted his hand to his face, surprised to come away with tears. 

 

A vicious growling startled him out of his stupor, and he looked up to see the man a considerable distance back from where he had been before. 

 

He looked right pissed and...tired? 

 

The man was breathing much heavier than he had been before and his pupils blown wide. It was odd to see the normal time perfect figure suddenly trying to catch his own breath. It was such a human reaction. Harry himself was much in the same state, breathing heavily like he had run a marathon and so very, very confused. 

 

“W-what was that?” He managed, finally. Again, really, he needed to stop forgetting that the other man could not  _ understand -  _

 

“Human.” 

 

Harry’s eyes widened. 

  
“Human,” the stranger repeated, mouth twisted in something suspiciously like disgust. “Explain yourself.  _ Now.” _


	5. Tie a knot, and hold on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I updated twice in one year. WITH school! Holy shit?! It's madness! 
> 
> As always, please correct me on my Japanese as I'm just trying to get through until it's not needed anymore and I never know what I'm gonna have said til it's there so feel free!
> 
> Also I'm dying because I completely did not plan for Harry and Sess to act like this but it just happened and I haven't stopped laughing. You'll get it. Please enjoy!

Sesshomaru’s breath came in sharper and faster than it had any right to under a human’s gaze. He felt his eyes still bleeding red from power, and anger, as he forced his composure back into place. Green eyes stared back at him with a fiendish glow, surprised at the sudden ability to understand Sesshomaru’s words and what had just happened. 

 

_ I have never seen this type of power in a human before.  _ Sesshomaru thought as he waited impatiently for an answer.  _ Or are you simply not human at all?  _

 

Jaken’s incessant screeching ripped Sesshomaru’s attention away from the man, quickly grating on his nerves. He sent the imp flying with a vicious kick, a growl lacing his voice as he warned him not to wake their charge. Rin had somehow remained unaware of the entire exchange between them and the stranger. It was no wonder that humans were so easy to overcome; they slept like the dead. 

 

A strange  **_crack_ ** alerted Sesshomaru to the human’s disappearance before he even turned back. He could still smell him though, his trick didn’t take him far.

 

Lord Sesshomaru would not be ignored. 

 

Sesshomaru’s eyes were still trained in the direction that the man had gone. He knew his land as well as his own hands; could hear the footfalls and track the scent if he decided to go looking. 

 

After that little display, Sesshomaru found himself actually considering that particular course of action. 

 

The human had waved around a small stick, imbued with energy, and had effectively ended Jaken’s attack before it began. But what proved the most interesting was the humans’ aura. How it reacted as though of it’s own accord, allowing the weapon to channel it, rather than being forced through at the owner’s command. 

 

He had felt himself drawn to that power, he acknowledged with disgust. Drawn to the point of contact, something he was both alarmed by and curious about. He had moved entirely on instinct, something Sesshomaru had not allowed himself to partake in in a very long time. Emotions were to be kept in control at all times. Instinct was useful, but often fickle, and not to be trusted in line with a potential new enemy.    
  


And yet he had found himself there, sharing space with a creature he should be automatically compelled to hate, and who had somehow pulled his very essence out of him as though he was some young, unrestrained animal. Sesshomaru’s jaw and fist clenched simultaneously, watching the forest. He would not be urged into power sharing by some filthy human like his idiot brother. But this power did not seem like that of the priestess. Descended from a holy family, perhaps? Sesshomaru had seen plenty of humans that possessed strange powers. Healers, warriors, priests and priestesses. Weak, of course, borrowing their meager skills from the Gods and often waning with time as their hosts decayed with their human frailty. 

 

Slightly intriguing, however, that this particular human radiated an entirely different kind of energy. Sesshomaru could see it easily, like a physical thing. The recklessness of it, the raw power of someone who did not realize their full potential and was ruled by their own emotional limitations. How it bled through the human’s unnaturally bright eyes. 

 

_ Inuyasha suffers from the same human poison.  _ He thought, a sneer curling his lips.  _ But at least he was born of a demon father.  What, I wonder, gave this human his abilities?  _

 

More importantly, could Sesshomaru use it to his advantage? 

 

Jaken made a whining cry when he finally managed himself back onto his feet. “L-Lord Sesshomaru, what are we going to do about the human now?” 

 

He didn’t bother to meet his minions rolling gaze. “You will stay with Rin.” 

 

“B-But my Lord I - Oh.” Jaken stopped himself when he realized that his master was already gone. He looked to Ah and Un who were still wrapped securely around the sleeping child, both sets of eyes staring at him blankly. 

 

“I….guess I’m staying here then….” 

 

* * *

 

Harry was so tired of running through this monstrous forest. 

 

Logically, he knew that if the creature had found him so easily the first time he would probably be able to find him again. 

 

It wasn't fear of being hurt that drew him forward, it was the memory of what had just transpired. Images both familiar and foreign; of him, of the strange man, and others he could not name. Then, suddenly, the words that fell from the stranger’s lips were English to his ears when Harry  _ knew  _ that couldn’t be so! No wandless compulsion could eradicate a language barrier with a simple touch. And why had they touched? What had the demon done? He had asked Harry to explain himself, but he had just stood there! Frozen like the daft idiot he was in the wake of the man’s crimson gaze. Harry couldn’t figure out what had happened, he had never done something of the sort before. The other man had initiated the touch, he should be the one explaining what the hell was going on - 

 

A flash of white and the demon was perched delicately on the limb of a massive tree in Harry’s path, and how the hell was he so delicate with all that rubbish on him in the first place? Harry skidded to a halt, half resigned, but wand still clenched in his fist. 

 

_ Why,  _ Harry groaned internally.  _ Why won’t you leave me alone?! _

 

“I asked you a question, human.” The ethereal figure slipped from the tree like a leaf floating in the autumn breeze, landing silently in front of him. “I will have an answer.” 

 

Harry’s mouth twisted into a scowl. “ _ You _ are the one who came at  _ me _ .” he growled back despite the other’s threatening tone. Frankly, he was sick of being threatened, sick of this whole situation, and sick of this arrogant  _ prick. “ _ If anyone has something to explain, it should be you!” 

 

If he hadn’t known any better, Harry would say he saw surprise in that minute quirk of the other’s brow. King sodding fluffy thing probably hadn’t had anyone talk to him like that in a long time. If he was a king. He certainly acted like he was. The little toad had called him Lord, so he was obviously some kind of royalty. But he wasn’t royalty to Harry, and he certainly wasn’t going to bend the knee for some stranger with a god complex. 

 

Glowing claws and glinting fangs flashed through Harry’s mind and he winced. Well, they always did say he had a bit of a death wish. 

 

And he was being stared at, again. 

 

Did this guy ever say more than ten words at once?!?!

 

“Look, “ Harry breathed. “I don’t understand what happened any more than you apparently do. It wasn’t one of my spells - “ 

 

“Spells.” The deep voice rumbled, interrupting Harry. “A priest, then.” 

 

Harry’s brows shot up, “Er. No. I’m not a priest. Not even a little bit.” What did this guy want, exactly? It was strange to be having an actual conversation instead of motioning like a neanderthal. Better, he supposed. 

 

“I’m a wizard.” He admitted. This was obviously not a muggle, so surely the ministry wouldn’t sound their alarm for telling him so. Hopefully. 

 

The utter blankness in the man’s expression was almost comical. 

 

“I am not familiar with that word.” He responded, finally.

 

Harry barely stopped himself from pinching the bridge of his nose. Honestly, the man, creature, whatever, was obviously magical in nature. Surely he had at least heard of Wizards before? Even creatures that hated wizards and stayed away from them had at least basic knowledge of what they were. 

 

“Wizard.” Harry repeated again. He waved his wand, sparks flying harmlessly from the tip like a child’s sparkler light. “Wand? Magic?” He could see the man’s brow clench at him, annoyed, yet curious of the light from his wand, and Harry realized he was probably being a bit presumptuous. They hadn’t even spoken the same language half an hour ago. It was possible “wizard” wasn’t what they were called here. Harry wasn’t used to people not recognizing him on sight….and that, that was annoying. It was actually kind of a relief that the man seemed to have no idea who he was. At least now that Harry was sort of sure that he wasn’t going to kill him.

 

Lowering his wand, Harry watched the golden gaze follow it to his side. 

 

“My name is Harry Potter.” he said, belatedly, making the other’s eyes snap back up to meet his own. 

 

“What an unfortunate naming.” The man scoffed, “Your kin did not think highly of you, it seems.” 

 

Harry gaped, blinking rapidly. Did he honestly just insult his  _ name  _ of all things? 

 

“It’s a perfectly respectable name where I’m from, I’ll have you know!’

 

“Regardless.” Sessho -  _ he  _ \- cut Harry off. “Your name is of no importance to me.” Golden eyes narrowed at him and Harry was getting SO irritated at this point. “Is it your weapon that holds the power or is it yours alone?” 

 

“It’s mine.” Harry grit out, insulted. “The wand channels my magic. It’s an extension of me, not a bleeding  _ toy _ .” He slipped his wand into his back pocket, sheer pettiness having him reach within for his magic and send a sharp jolt of magic that had a large branch come crashing into the very place Sesshomaru stood. The demon simply stepped forward without breaking Harry’s gaze, careless, but looked placated all the same. 

 

Not that Harry had any reason to prove himself to this person, but something about the man had him itching for a fight. It wasn’t the same as his fights with Malfoy, though. He had always thought Malfoy as evil, deserving of every blow they could throw back at him. This man, this  _ demon _  in front of him may have caused Harry more of a headache than the average person in the span of only a few measly hours, but he had no reason to outright hate him. 

 

It was probably just the fact that looking at him had Harry’s insides twisting. It made him antsy. It made him want to release some of this pent up energy he’d been smacked in the face with at their odd exchange. He wanted to split a nice, big crack into this man’s resolve so that Harry could know for sure that he wasn’t the only one wanting to set something on  _ fire _ .

 

A blink and Harry had apparated right into the man’s space, noting the slight raising of eyebrows and tilt of the head before he blinked back into existence where he had stood originally. Sesshomaru hadn’t made a move for him once, though Harry was sure that he absolutely could. He seemed to track the very air that Harry flew in between, but that didn’t deter him. It was all a showy, unnecessary series of actions that he secretly thanked Hermione up and down for insisting he practice his deftness in these situations. She probably wouldn’t approve of him using his control in such a manner though…

 

“Interesting.” Sesshomaru conceded, if that’s what you could call it, the hand on the hilt of his sword loose and relaxed despite the threatening tone Harry’s display could have taken. 

 

“Yes, well,” Harry muttered, slightly embarrassed that he’d allowed himself to be riled by nothing more than a look. “Not that it matters how I work. But I hope you’re satisfied.” He moved to turn and end the conversation, ears burning. He needed to get away from this guy. 

 

“I have friends I need to find, so, it was very unpleasant to meet you -” 

 

Gold filled his vision again and that torturous twisting returned in full. Sesshomaru was blocking his path,  _ again. _

 

“Alright.” Harry sighed, his voice coming out steadier than he felt. “Are you going to kill me? Kidnap me? Because if not, honestly, I really need to go.” 

 

“I have killed for insolence much less profound than yours, human.” The growl was back. “As it stands, you have not answered all of my questions.” 

 

Harry felt his eyes roll before he could even try to stop them. Why couldn’t he just come off it? And why did he insist on acting as though Harry had tried to pull some grand mind trick on him?! He needed the demon to step out of his space. 

 

“If I may, “ He began, fists clenching, “You had me backed up against a tree, with acid dripping from your fingers.” He found himself with his finger pointed in the face of dangerously narrowed eyes and Harry just couldn’t find it in himself to care at this point. This roundabout conversation was going to drive him insane long before anyone actually tried to die. Maybe that had been Malfoy’s plan all along. Drop Harry into the midst of a monosyllabic prick with clear power trip issues and watch him lose his mind from afar. 

 

“ I don’t know what that was. Or why we saw what we saw.” Harry opened his hands, voice pitching into sarcasm that he rarely used in most polite situations. “If you can’t tell me, then it looks like we have nothing else to talk about and I’ll be on my way.”

 

“Your speech pattern is similar to my brother’s human menace.” 

 

Harry blinked. What. 

 

“What the bloody  _ hell  _ are you talking about now?!” Harry threw his arms up in the air in absolute bewilderment. “What could that possibly have to do with anything we were just talking about?”

 

There it was again. That flash that Harry swore meant the bastard was laughing at him somehow. At this rate death was starting to look like a fair trade if it got him the chance to get the other man to shut up. 

 

Sesshomaru studied him for a moment longer, eyes tracking every inch of him from top to bottom in a way that had Harry blushing involuntarily under the scrutiny. Apparently satisfied, or unsatisfied, with what he saw, the demon lord suddenly turned on his heel to walk to way he’d came. 

 

Harry gaped at his retreating back. 

 

“Er, so, am I allowed to leave now? Are you going to follow me again?” He raised his voice as Sesshomaru kept walking, “I’m not going to stop if you do!” 

 

“You said you came with others. I believe I may know where they are.” 

 

That stopped Harry in his tracks. He could be lying, Harry thought wildly. Trying to lure Harry as some unwilling victim to feed to his toad goblin and two headed dragon. 

 

“You don’t even know what they look like. How would you have any idea where they are?” 

 

“Yes.” Came the ever-infuriatingly calm reply. “Though you are not the first human to fall into the feudal era from another time, “ 

 

Harry almost tripped over his own feet. While standing still.  He couldn’t….He couldn’t possibly be implying that...

 

What the fuck had Malfoy  _ done _ . 

 

“What are you talking about?” He asked again, though suddenly he felt as though his blood was rushing in his ears.

 

“I refuse to dawdle here with you.” Sesshomaru started along his path again. Even the way he walked was so annoyingly regal. He could probably carry a stack of books on his head and not stumble once. Prick. “Your choices are to follow me or to be left to the forest and hope your...abilities save you.” 

 

Harry’s mouth was still hanging open slightly as he tried to process what the demon lord had implied. He didn’t have time to ponder too long, however, as Sesshomaru was just about to move through the trees and out of sight. Part of Harry wanted to take his chances with the forest and see if he could find his friends on his own. They couldn’t be too far, could they? But then, they had never portkeyed to another  _ time  _ before. Was it different? Should Harry risk the chance of leaving Hermione and Ron woefully unprepared for a place they had no knowledge of? How did he not know this wasn’t all just some elaborate trick? He couldn’t put anything passed Voldemort or his minions..

 

Would Sesshomaru even really help him if he decided to go? 

 

Harry’s annoyed growl could have rivaled the demon’s; he took a deep, shuddering breath and apparated through the forest until he once more caught sight of that ridiculously long, colorless mane of hair. 

 

Neither man spoke, but Harry could swear that he felt Sesshomaru’s victorious smirk.

 

_ Wanker. _

* * *

 

_ "Ronald! Honestly if you would just -"  _

 

_ "'Mione, if you''d give me a moment -"  _

 

_ "Get me out of here, please!" _

 

Ron grunted as he used the final bit of his strength to pull her out of the bloody hole they'd found themselves in. A literal hole. In the ground. Fantastic. 

With one last heave, he managed her out of the dark pit. He fell backwards with the strength of it though, inadvertently dragging her with him as he slumped to the ground. He felt a blush cross his cheeks as she huffed tiredly into his chest before pushing herself up on her arms to glare down at him.

 

"There were so many other ways we could have done that." 

"Well considering we had no idea where we were or who could be up here, I didn't want to do anything to bring too much attention to us!" Ron defended against the irritated twist of her mouth. How was she still so beautiful when she was patronizing him? He must be completely barmy. 

She sighed, looking over his head to survey their area. It was dark, damn near pitch black around them, so there wasn't a whole lot to see. He slowly sat up, pushing her off of him before he did something completely stupid and slid out from under her. She really had a one track mind sometimes, it was kind of incredible to watch if he had to be honest. 

_ "Lumos."  _ She lit up her wand, trying to get a better view of the area. It wasn't special, just a wooded forest much like the one they had come from. Where they currently sat was mostly clear of trees, with paths weaving in and out as though the area was often used by someone. 

 

That...that could either be very good or very bad. 

 

Ron slumped back against whatever it was they had just been trapped in. Hermione followed his movement, eyes widening slightly. 

 

"Ron, look! It's a well!" 

Ron shifted his gaze over his shoulder, noting the square and wooded structure that they had just come out of. He turned a skeptical look to her. "Hermione, I'm pretty sure we were just down there. And there wasn't any water." 

 

Par for the course, Ron watched in amusement as Hermione did that thing she does where she closes her eyes eyes tightly and sucks in a deep breath to hold while she probably contemplates hexing him or not. "Ron. It doesn't have to have water in it to be a well. Wells are dug for the purpose of holding water." 

 

"Well how'd we even end up there in the first place?" He grumped; tired, frustrated, annoyed, and wondering where the hell the third member of their party was. Also why they had trusted Malfoy of all people to get them out of a hairy situation. 

 

"Nevermind that." Hermione stood, holding out her hand to him. "We need to find Harry and figure out exactly where Malfoy sent us." 

 

"I swear if I didn't already know you were a witch.." Ron mumbled as he let her help him to his feet. He cast his wand alight as well all the same to widen their range of sight. 

 

“Something tells me that Harry isn’t around here, ‘Mione. He would have found us by now.” Worry flared in his gut. They had all tried their best to hold onto each other, but he knew the moment he’d felt Harry slip that this wasn’t going to be the same as him ending up in a bush a half-mile away. Something about the entire thing had set Ron on edge the moment he’d seen Malfoy. The psychotic git probably sent them flying into a trap for all they really knew, and now Harry was gone and they were clueless and lost. 

Harry was all alone out there somewhere, and they needed to find him. Quickly. 

“Ron!” Hermione whispered suddenly, latching onto his arm. Her wand was pointed defensively to her right, one of the densest parts of the trees and Ron didn’t ask, he readied his as well. 

There was no breeze, yet the trees blew forward and back in and odd pattern and Hermione tightened her hold on him. 

“W-who’s there?” Ron called out, gritting his teeth. Of course. This was how it was going to be. Malfoy had simply sent them right into the middle of some Death Eater hide out and now they were going to have to fight their way out again. 

There was no response to his call, but Ron sent a  _ petrificus totalus  _ spell shooting towards the next movement anyway. He narrowed his eyes when he realized that he’d missed and that the strange shifting continued. 

“Ron, we don’t even know what it is!” Hermione’s eyes were hard, despite her words, wand hand following the tree movements to the best of her ability. Whatever it was, it was fast. 

“ _ Stupefy!” _ Ron ground out, clutching her closer to him as the whatever it was came moving closer and closer to them. “What the hell is this? Death Eaters would have come out to gloat by now!” Moving Hermione behind him, despite her blustering protests, “What are you doing? I don’t need you to protect me!” 

“Just listen to me for once you stubborn woman!” He bit out, one arm pushed behind him to keep her there, and the other at the ready. “Come out you coward!” Ron called again to the noise. He hated enemies he couldn’t see. It didn’t matter what it was as long as it would come out and show it’s bloody fa-

“Ron, look out!” 

“What-” Ron barely was able to turn his head before something the size of a goblet came spinning towards his face at tops speed, smacking him right directly in between the eyes. 

_ “Bloody fucking hell _ !” 

Both of Ron’s hands went to hold his throbbing head. He bend over in, rubbing rapidly at the smarting spot. It wasn’t a death curse, but it sure as hell hurt!

“ Dare ja ne.. Kimi wa?!”  A shrill voice came rushing from the trees as another round object came flying at them. Hermione managed to deflect this one but neither paid much mind to the strangely shaped projectiles when the source of the sound finally came rushing into the clearing. 

It...it was a little kid. 

Hermione gasped, her wand immediately lowering. Ron could see the horror in her face as she realized they had shooting spells at a child. Normally, he’d feel the same but he was still wary. The little brat was obviously not human. 

Bright red hair, even brighter than his own was tied back into a small tail that left his very pointed ears visible. He was smaller than a child with that kind of dexterity would have any right to be. And even though his little glare was kind of adorable, Ron didn’t lower his guard. It could all just be another trick and frankly, he was sick of being the one to fall for them all the time. 

The little monster clenched his fists before pointing at them. He didn’t look murderous per se, but he definitely looked agitated. “Koko de nani o shite iru? Kotaete!”

“What the hell is it even saying?” Ron whispered, not taking his eyes off the creature. 

“I don’t know, Ronald. I don’t speak Japanese.” 

“Of course you’d know what bloody language it was speaking -” 

“Forgive me for being thorough!” She spat back at him. 

“It’s just so incredibly random that you would even recognize something like -” 

A small ball of light floated between them and ignited with a small blast that had them jumping apart and locking gazes with the strange green eyed child like thing once more. 

It didn’t look like it liked being ignored. 

Suddenly it’s irritated expression slid into a small smirk and it sucked in a breath so large, Ron was almost sure it was trying to blow itself up like a balloon when - 

“INUYASHAAAAA!” 

Ron and Hermione both stilled at once and stepped back from the insanely loud cry. Ron couldn't tell if it was directed at them personally or if the creature had decided to call for someone else. 

 

 

The animalistic growl that errupted from just beyond the tree line had the little imps smirk growing wider.

That was definitely not going to be in their favor. 

 

 


End file.
